Shoe-polishing machine.



Patanted Jan. 31, wil;

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

E. P. BECKER.

SEOE POLISHING MAGHNE. APPLIOATION YILBD 00T. a1, 190e.

W/ TNE SSE S E. BECKER.

SHOE QLISHING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED 00121, 1908.

983, l 38. f Patented .m 31. mi..

sHBsTHgHBET 2.

E. F. BECKER..

SHOE POLISHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. 21, 1908.

983, l 38. Patented Jan. 31, :im

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Cit

t "Tim r WNY-*tl "'77 titiller@ Pesanti i.

EDWARD F. BECKER, QF NEWYGEK, N. Y.

Application filed cto'ber 21, 19Go.

This invention relates to shoe polishing' machines, and more particularly to anun chine oit thif class in which the foot is placed upon a movable support, so that the latter can be depressed under the imposedy Weight of the ioot, thereby to operate the shoe polishiirt;` brushes or other mechanism, the toot supportv coiniirising` relatively movable parts so that the movement o one et these Aparts with respect to the other causes the brushes or polishing mechanism to assume operative positions, the brushes or the like being .normally inoperatively disposed when the ma.- ehine is not in use, so that the support is itree for the reception oit the foot.

in object or the invention is te provide a simple, si 'ong and eiticicnt machine 'tor polishingl boots and snoes, in which the polishing` brushes, cloths or buffers are actuated by suitable mechanism which in turn is operated through the movement ot the toot support. under the imposed weight and downward pressure et' the toot.

A further object oit the invention is to provide machine of the class described, in which the brushes are normally held inoperative with respect to the foot stuiiport, in which an initial movement of the foot support operatively positions the brushes, and in which a second movement of the toot support causes the brushes to be actuated.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a shoe polishing machine in which the toot support has an initial movement under the imposed Weight of' the toot, which operatively positions the brushes or other polishing` mechanism, in Wnich the continued pressure ot' the foot upon the foot support causes the latter to move downward to actuatc the polishing mechanism, and to maintain the same operative with respect to the shoe in position, 'tor the time being, upon i the toot support, in .which the brushes automatically return to an inoperative position, and the entire foot support returns to its initial position as soon as the weight of the foot is' removed from toot support.

Speeieation et Let-ters Fatent.

Serial No.

he invention consists in the construction and l1ombination of parts to be more fully described hereinafter and particularly set forth in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the aceompanying drawings forming a' part of this speciiication, in which similar characters of reterence indicate corresponding parts in all the views, and in Which- *igure 1 is lian view ot an embodiment of my invention, showin-bT in dotted outline a foot in position upon the' foot support; Fig. 2 is a side ela ration oi' machine;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation ot the machin/eg.

Fig. l is an enlarged transverse section shoiv-- ing the foot support, certain of the brushes inoperative'ly disposed, and the means for operatingI the brushes; and Fig. 5 is a lengt tudinal section of one of the brusl'ies.

Referring more particularly to the dravfings, employ a base ot' any suitable form which carries the nprights or posts 11 near the corners thereof, the base being substantially rectangular in form. inner edges the posts 11. are provided With teeth 12 so that the posts are virtually racks. At the upper ends two of the posts are connected by a cross bar 13 iv iich braces the structure. Shafts 14tare journaled near the upper ends ot the posts 11 and 'carry grooved pulleys 15 rigid therewith. Flexible members 1G are arranged to 'travel over the pulleys and are secured at their outer ends to counterweights 16 arranged to move up and down at the outside of the posts at the sides of the machine.

Carriers 17 are arranged transversely of the shafts 14 adjacent to the posts 11. The carriers 4have the inner ends ot the icxible members 16 secured thereto in any convenient manner and have journaled' there' on shafts lSsubstantially parallel to the shafts 14* and extending at the ends out-- Wardly beyond the carriers. The shafts 18 at the projecting;v extremities carry rigid pinions 19 normally in mesh ivith'the teeth 12 of the' rack posts, so that the carriers move up and down with respect to the posts, the shafts 1S are thereby caused to rotate. The counterweights 16a tendto maintain the carriers normally elevated, that is, in a position such that the counterweights r upon the base 10. lnterniediate the sliatts 18', one of the carriers has spaced shafts 20, alined-With-racir here 20a arranged lil-:e 'the shafts 2O to slide transversely et the car- [it the l lOti rier, as will appear more clearly hereinafter. Thoracic bars 20a at the under sides are provided with lateral extensions having teeth 21 and are thus formed into racks for a purpose which will also appear more clearly hereinafter.

A platform 22 is rigidly seeured between the carriers and has transverse openings 23 therethrough in which are slidably urranged guide supports 21- carrying an Iupper platform The platforms and 25 form the foot support, and the upper platform itself forms the foot rest proper upon which the foot wearing the shoe to be polished is placed. 'The upper platform is movable relatively to the lower and may have any suitable form which `serves as a foot rest, conveniently to ieeeive the foot. rl`he rear carrier 17 has laterally? extending journal brackets 26 which rotatably carry a shaft 27 substantially parallel to the carrier and having at the ends rigid segmental gears 28,`the teeth of which are adapted to mesh with the rack teeth of 'the rack bars 20. Intermediate the brackets 2G the shaft 27 has a rigid pinion 27a is mesh with a raclt 29 of a post 30, between adjacent posts 11 so that as the carriers are ,raised and lowered the shaft 27 is correspondingly actuated.

lotatably mounted upon the shafts 20 at both sides of the foot support are frames 31 substantially rectangular in form and having transverse shafts .3ft journaled between opposite frame members. The shafts 34 carry brushes or other polishing members 35 and at the lower ends which project beyond the lower frame members have bevel gears 36in mesh with bevel gears 3,7 rigidly mounted upon the shafts 20. The frames have downward,extensions 3S provided with inwardly and laterally disposed toes 3Q. These engage cross rods 40 connecting the lower ends of the guide rods 2li. The cross rods are rigidly mounted in enlargements 4-1 at the lower ends of the guide rods 24. The frames have bearings 32 in which the shafts 2O are jouinaled, the rack bars 20 being rigidly secured in the bearings by means of set screws 3?.

The frame extensions 3S have rigid outwardly and downwardly inclined arms which terminate in bearings 113 in which are journaled shafts itil. `'.l`heso carry rigid gear 'wheels l5 and wide pinions 4G for a purpose which will appear hereinafter. The shafts 18 have rigid gear wheels 47 which are adapted to mesh with the pinions flo. lllie gear wheels vl-5 are in mesh willi pinions fil-S of the shafts 20.

One of the frames 33 at the front end hasl lateral extensions 49 between the extremities 'of which is journaled a shaft 5() carrying` a brush oi',polisliiiig member 51. The shaft. 50 at the lower end has a bevel gear 52 in mesh with a bevel gear 53 mounted upon a shaft 54; journaled in downwardly extending arms 55 rigid with the lower extension 49. rt the lopposite end, the shaft 54 has a bevel gear 56 in mesh with a similar gear 57 at the extremity of the adjacent shaft 20. Y

Helical springs 58 are mounted upon the shafts 2O and engage at the front the frames 33 and at the rear carrier 17 and tend normally to force the frames toward the front of the machine. It will understood that the frames are movable backward and forward as the shafts 2O and the rack bars 20EL are slidably supported by the carriers; The gears 17 are in slidable engagement with the wide pinions 116 which are proportioned to accommodate the backward and forward movements of the frames The relative positions of the pinions t6 and the gears l5 on the respective shafts 411 are reversed as is' shown most clearly in F ig. 1, so that the engagement of the gears L17 with the gears 45 limits the backward and forward movement of the frames.

At the rear end, the upper platform 25 has a pintle 59 upon which is pivotally mounted a swinging member GO. Theylatter, intermediate its ends has a spindle 61 carrying a gear wheel 62 and a pinion '63. The latter is in mesh with rack teeth @el formed upon the intermediate post 30 so that as the platform is depressed the rack operates the spindle. A pinion G5 in mesh with the gear wheel (S2 is journaled at the upper end of the men'iber (30 and is rigid with a rotatable head G6. The latter carries a flexible shaft consisting preferably of ay hollow tl xible member o7 having at the end a collar (3S and therewithin a stitl' helical spring 69.

A brush 707 or other polishing means is carried by the flexible shaft. This polishing member is operable by the downward movement of the` foot support, owing to the provision of the pinio1r65, the gear G2, the pinion 63 and the rack 611-. A light sj'iring 7l is secured to the member G0 and to the adjacent carrier 17, and tends normally to swing the member aside, so that the brush is inoperatively disposed with regard to the upper platform when the latter is in its ele- .vated position with respect'. to the lower platform. 'Vlhe lower edge of the member is rounded to forni a cam 72, which engages the carrier 17 in such a mannerthatlwhen the upper platform is initially depressed, the member is swung upon the pintle to position the brush operatively. The foot support of the polishing machine which consists of the upper and the lower platforms has an initial movement, broadly speakinoj, which operatively positions the brushes or other polishing members, and a secondary movement whieh actuates the latter. These brushes have a plurality of movements, the

lll)

ses,

tirst which is into 'an opeativewpositiom and the second of which is the polishing movement. Certain ot' the brushes, furthermore, have a movement longitudinally oi the foot support in addition to .the lirst two movements. f

Vfhen the toot is placed upon the loot supporting member, the platform is depressed and the engagement of the cross rods with the toes 39 swings the frames about the shafts 2), so that the brushes are brought into engagement with the shoe upon 'the foot support. in additional downward movenient oit 'the depressible foot support causes the shaft 18 to be actuated by the racks l2 and the pinions 19. As the operative positioning or the frames has brought the pinionsee into engagement with the gear wheels fl?, the downward movement ot' the foot support causes the shafts 2O to be actuated. Thesein turn drive the brushes through the connecting bevel gears. rt the same time the downward movement of the toot support which has initially swung the member 60 into an operative position, causes the brush 70 to be rotated by means of the rack 6l and the gears connecting the radi; with the irush. Simultaneously, the rael 29 actuates the pinioii- 27, which in turn through the shaft 27, rotates the segmental gears 2S'. sis long as the teeth of the latter are in eny gagement with the rack teeth 2l of the bars' 20a, the latter are moved longitudinally against the tension of the springs 58. 4rll'irough this longitudinal movement the trames 83 are moved in the direction of the length of the Jfoot support, so that the brushes engage at the-sides ot the shoe all points and so that the brush 5l is brought into complete Contact'. with the heel portion of the shoe. rlhe brush 7() polishes the toe and the instep of the shoe and owing to its flexibility, adjusts itself easily to the torni of the shoe.

Vlhen the teeth ofthe segn'iental gears 2S pass beyond. and outer engagement with the rack teeth, the springs 58 instantly return the trames to the initial positions. When the shoe support reaches its last position' under the downward pressure of the foot, the latter is lifted to release the upper plautform 25. lhis returns to its initial elevated position with respect to the lower platform 22, which permits the frames to swing into their inoperative positions gravitationally. At the same time the counterweightsl raise the carriers and with the latter the operative parts to their initial elevated positions. Another downward movement of the mechanism can then be effected Yto continue or complete the polishing action.

ln the normal posit-ions of the parts the ramesare outwardly disposed, and when the foot rest is depressed they are swung inwardlv about the shafts 2G ca .tying with iss it l them the rack bars 20a. The latter have the rael; teeth so placed that when the trames are in operative positions the rack teeth 28 as is shown clearly in llig. 2. lt will be understood that the rack bars 20- are rigid with the frames and. move therewith so that the gears 28 operate to move the tion of their lengths. The release otl the platform causes the bars to b e turned so that the extensions thereof which have the teeth of the segments 28 when these are rotated by the upward movement of the shaft 27. When the platform is again depressed to eiieet the next downward movement of the parts, the teeth 2l are again brought into the paths of the segments 2S so that they ean be operatively engaged thereby.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new,4 and desire to secure by Letters l`atentrl* l. ln combination, a depressible support adapted to receive the foot only, rotary brushes bodily movable toward and away from said support, means connecting said support and said brushes whereby the latter are rotated while said support is being depressed, and means tending to hold said support normally elevated.

2. in eon'ibination, a depressible support adapted to receive the t'oot only, rotary brushes bodily movable toward and ilrom said support, gearing connecting said support and said brushes, whereby the latter are rotated while said support being depressed, and counterweighls tending to hold said support normally elevated.

ln combination, a movable support arranged to be depressed and adapted to receive the :toot only, a brush, means for positioning su xd brush by the downward movement oil said support, and gearing connecting said support and said brush, whereby the additional downward movement ot said support operates said brush.

4. ln combination, a movable toot support arranged 'to be depressed, rotary brushes movable toward and away Vfrom said support, vmeans connecting said brushes and said support, whereby said brushes are operatively positioned when said support is in an initial, elevated position, and gearing connecting said support and said brushes whereby the douurw'ard moven'ient of said support after said brushes are operatively positioned, serves to operate said brushes.

5. ln combination, a depressible support for the foot,vrotary brushes having inoperais in an elevated position, gearing connecting said support and said brushes whereby .the downward movement et said support are alined tor engagement with the gearsv shaft sections and the trames in the direc-- teeth 2l are disposed out of the paths of the .llO

tive positions when said depressible support when a weight is imposed thereon serves to position said brushes' operatively and to opcrate the same, and a counterweight controlling said support to hold vthe same in a normal elevated position.

6. ln combination, a depressible support for the foot, means tending to hold said support elevated, brushes .having operative and inoperative positions, means connecting said brushes and said supportwhereby said brushes are inoperatively positioned when said support is in an elevated position and whereby said brushes are operative when said support is being depressed, and means for actuating said brushes by a downward movement of said support.

7. In combination, a depressible support forthe shoe, polishing brushes, means connecting said support and said brushes where.

by an initial downwardmovement of said support brings said brushes into contact with the shoe, means whereby a second downward moyement of said support actuates said brushes, and means tending to hold vthe support ina normal elevated position.

8. In combination, a depressible support for the foot, rotary brushes normally in inoperative positions and mounted to move bodily, means connecting said support. and said brushes whereby an initial movement of the former operatively positions said brushes, and means whereby a second movement of said support rotates said brushes and moves the saine bodily.

9. In combination, a depressible support, frames arranged adjacent to said support and carrying rotary brushes, said frames being mounted to swing toward and away from said support and 'to move longitudinally thereof, means whei'eby` an initial movement of said support swinO's said :trames toward said support, and means whereby an additional continued movement of said support moves said frames longitudinally of said support and rotates said brushes. v

10. In combination, a depressible support for the foot, brushes arranged adjacent to said supportand movable therewith, said brushes being normally in inoperative positions. meansv whereby an initial downward movement of `said support moves said brushes into operative positions. and whereby an additional downward movement of said support rotates said brushes and moves the same longitudinally of said support, and means tendingto hold said support and said brushes normally elevated.

1l. ln coml'iination, a depressiblesupport for the foot comprising relatively movable npperand lower parts, the upper of said paris being formed to receive the foot, brushes arranged adjacent to said support vand normally inoperatively positioned, means whereby a movement of said upper .nprights having racks, pinions r part relatively to said lower part, of said support operatively positions said. brushes, and means. whereby a bodily downward. movement of said support actuates said brushes.

l2. In combination, a depressible support .comprising` relatively movable upper and lower parts, frames pivoted adjacent to s aid supports, rotary brushes carried by said frames, said frames being movable bodily longitudinally of said support, said frames Y `icing arranged to swing toward and away l'roin said support, means whereby a movement of said upper part toward said lower part of said support swings said frames, and 9,0

means whereby a bodily downward move ment of saidsupport rotates said brushes and moves said frames longitudinally.

13. ln combination, uprights, carriers arrights and having pinions mounted thereon, racks carried by said nprights, a support mounted upon said carriers and consisting of an upper part and a 4lower part, said -ranged to move longitudinally of said upg5 upper part tbeing formed to receive a foot and being adapted to move relatively to 4 said lower part, shafts arranged adjacent to said support,` frames pivotedfupon said shafts, rotary brushes mounted in frames, means for operatively connectinjtjre said shafts and said brushes, means for con- ,necting said shafts and said'pinions whereby said pinions when rotated actnate. the shafts to drive said brushes, and means for connecting said frames and said upper part 10o oi said snpport,whereby the depressing of said upper part swings said frames toward said support.

lft. In combination, upright rack posts,

carriers movable longitudinally. of said posts, a platform mounted upon said carriers, a second platform above said first. platform and movable relatively thereto, shafts supported by one of said carriers,

frames carried by said shafts and arranged 11o to swing toward said platforms, rotary brushes carried by said fames, means connecting said frames and said upper platform whereby a downward movement of said upper platform swings said frames toward the same, pinions jonrnaled upon said carriers and engaging said rack posts whereby said pinions are actuated as 'said carriers are moved longitudinally oli" said posts, means' for operatively connecting said pini'ons and said shafts when said frames are in predetermined positions whereby said piiiions can drive said brushes, and means whereby ysaid shafts can be moved ,inI the direction oli their length when said brushes are being rotated.

'15. ln combination` depressible carriers, mounted upon said carriers and engaging said racks, a foot support upon said carriers, frames lGU i 1 v i i v pivoted upon one of said ,carriers and having rotary brushes,

pinions can drive said brushes, an additional upright having a rack, an additional pinion in engagement with said rack, and means whereby said additional pinion moves said frames longitudinally oi said foot support, means tending to hold said frames carriers, brushes carried. by said shafts and rotated by the rotary movement of said i shaft, an additional rack post, means ,where- 25 by the movement of said carriers longitudinaliy of said additional rack post moves said shafts in the directions of their lengths, and means for holding said shafts in nor. mal positions.

l'. In combination,tdepressible carriers, a foot support mounted upon said carriers vand having an upper platform depressible -with respect to said carriers, a member pivoted upon said upper platform and engaging 35 one of .said carriers, a brush carried by said means whereby when said frames are in operative positions said i l member, means for holding said member in a normal position such that said brush is inoperative, said mer'nbei` having a cam on its lower end extending laterally of its pivot whereby when said upper platform is depressed the engagement of said Cam with said carrier swings said member int-o an operative position, and means for operating said brush through a movement of said carrier. 1S. In combination, depressible carriers, shafts slidabhv and rotatably mounted upon said tT- rriers= a foot support mounted upon said Carrier, frames mo 'ably mounted upon said shafts and having rotary brushes, 4gearing for operatively connecting said brushes and said shafts, additional shafts carried by said frames, gears eonneeting'said additional shafts and said first shafts, gearing for rotating said additional shafts and including ixed racks and pinions connected with said additional shafts whereby said `gearing and brushes can befoperated by. a movement of said carrier, said gearing having a part constituting a stop to limit the movement of said first shafts in thedireeing said carrier normally elevated.

In testimony whereof I have signed-1ny name to this specification in the presenee of two subscribing witnesses. EDYVAR-D F. I-IECKER. Witnesses A JOHN K. BRAonvoGEL JOHN I). Davis.

tions of their lengths, and means for hold 

